Uiseong: The main blaze of a wildfire that erupted in the southeastern county of Uiseong was successfully contained within three hours, as stated by forest service authorities. The fire began on a hillside in Uiseong, located 252 kilometers southeast of Seoul, around 3:15 p.m. This incident occurred less than a year after a major blaze had previously swept through the area.
According to Yonhap News Agency, authorities responded swiftly by issuing a Level 2 wildfire response and an evacuation order for residents in the rural area affected. The immediate action included the deployment of 10 helicopters, 51 fire suppression vehicles, and 315 firefighters and other personnel to combat the rapidly spreading fire fueled by strong winds.
Uiseong County Governor Kim Joo-soo confirmed that the main blaze was contained by approximately 6 p.m., at which point helicopters were withdrawn from the scene. Firefighters are scheduled to continue their efforts overnight to extinguish the remaining embers. Notably, strong snowfall in the area on Saturday afternoon played a significant role in slowing the fire's spread.
The cause of the wildfire has not yet been determined, and investigations are underway. Meanwhile, the government emphasized its commitment to deploying all available resources to prevent any casualties. As a precaution, residents were instructed to evacuate to their respective village community centers. The humidity at the site was recorded at 33 percent during the incident.